Martin Mittner

4/28/2011

Sha’rah
The Rules of Sha’rah
Pieces

• Snakes
o Snakes may move as many squares as they like along a straight diagonal so
long as they do not pass over the fisher square or enter the goal row.
o Snakes must stay on the color they are originally placed on
• Foxes
o Foxes may move as many squares as they like along a row or column so long as
they do not pass over the fisher square or enter the goal row.
• Stones
o Stones may move 1 square in any direction so long as they do not land on the
fisher square or the goal row.
o Stones may not take other pieces, but may be used to threaten the Fisher
o Stones can only be taken by the Fisher
• The Fisher (or The Fisher King)
o A player may only move the Fisher if it is in his possession when his turn begins
o From White squares the Fisher may move as many squares as possible in any
direction but may not take pieces
o From Black squares the Fisher may only move one square but can take any
piece
o The Fisher may only move onto the goal row if it began the turn on a row next to
the goal row, or if it is threatened and can only move onto the goal row without
continuing to be threatened.

Game Play

There are three phases to the game.

Phase One: Placement

During this phase each play places one piece per turn (green starts) on any square on the board
which is not on the goal row (only the Fisher may enter the goal row). Once all 33 of each player’s
pieces have been placed the pieces may be moved and the second phase begins.

Phase Two: Capture

Each player attempts to gain control of the Fisher. Control of the Fisher is gained by threatening
the Fisher with your pieces and all squares that the fisher could move on to. Clear initial control of
the Fisher is not gained until one player is: threatening the Fisher, threatens any square the
Fisher could move onto, and there is a square where he can move the fisher without being
threatened by the opponent player. Once this is achieved a player takes control of the fisher at
the end of his turn (or beginning of his opponent’s turn), he may not move the fisher until the
beginning of his next turn. This gives his opponent the opportunity to recapture the fisher in turn
or make it impossible for him to move it (thus returning it to neutral control). Once the Fisher has
been captured the third phase begins.

Phase Three: The Dance.

During this phase there are three ways to achieve victory. A player can move the fisher onto a
square of her color on her opponent’s back goal row, a player can force her opponent to move
the Fisher onto a square of her color anywhere on the goal row, or a player can eliminate all of
her opponent’s pieces. At any time the Fisher may be captured from your opponent by
threatening the Fisher and any squares it could move onto. The Fisher changes possession at
the end of the turn in which this capture is achieved.

Stalemate:

A Stalemate is achieved when one player is in possession of the fisher at the beginning of his
turn but is unable to move the fisher during his turn without it being threatened, and cannot move
any other piece (whether because he lacks pieces or they are obstructed). In addition, if the game
is in The Dance phase and forty two moves have been made without a piece being taken or the
Fisher being captured, then the game is a stalemate. A player may also have the option to
declare a stalemate as a result of repetition (covered below).

One Repetition:

Players may only repeat a two move sequence twice in a row. After a player initiates a two move
sequence for a third time, his opponent must move differently or declare a stalemate.

For an example: player one moves a piece and player two moves another piece, player one then
decides to move his piece back because of player two’s move. In, turn player two moves her
piece back to its previous location (making player one want to move his piece again). This
sequence can only repeat once more. Should these two players make these same moves again;
when player one starts the cycle over for a third time player two must make a different move or
declare a stalemate.

Attrition:

If a player is unable to move a piece and is not in possession of the Fisher she must remove one
of her pieces from play each turn until she can move a piece, or she loses by attrition.

Rules of Engagement

If the Fisher is threatened and a player is in possession of the Fisher at the beginning of her turn,
then she must move the Fisher during her turn (she may not move another piece to obstruct or
eliminate the threat).

If a player lost control of the fisher during his opponent’s last turn he may attempt to recapture the
Fisher immediately.
The Fisher may not move onto a square that is threatened.

The Fisher is the only piece allowed to move onto the goal row, but any piece may threaten the
goal row. While squares of your color may be moved onto anywhere on the goal row, if you move
the Fisher onto a square of the opponent’s color you lose. When on the goal row the Fisher may
be moved as though it were on a black or white square.

The Fisher is the only piece that may move onto the central Fisher Square. The Fisher may move
from this square as though it were black or white.